Panjab University alumnus is India’s new Cabinet Secretary
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ August 10,2024
The centre government has appointed 1987 batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer TV Somanathan as Cabinet Secretary for a tenure of two years.
As per the orders, “The Appointments Committee of Cabinet has also approved the appointment of Shri TV Somanathan, IAS (TN:87) as an officer on special duty in the cabinet secretariat from the date he joins the assignment till he takes over as the cabinet secretary.”
Panjab University alumnus is India’s new Cabinet Secretary .He succeeds Rajiv Gauba, a 1982 batch IAS officer who had an unprecedented five year term as Cabinet Secretary. Gauba was appointed as the cabinet secretary in 2019 for a term of two years. He was later given a year-extension in 2021 and then in 2022 and 2023.
About Dr. T. V. Somanathan
Dr. T. V. Somanathan is a 1987 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre. At present, he officer on special duty (OSD) in the Cabinet Secretariat .Prior to this appointment, he served as Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office. He also worked as Director at the World Bank Group, Washington D.C. where he initially joined under its Young Professionals Program.
Dr. Somanathan holds a Ph.D. in economics from Calcutta University, an Executive Development Program diploma from Harvard Business School,Master of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from Panjab University. He has completed the Executive Development Program of Harvard Business School, and is fully qualified chartered / cost accountant and company secretary: ACA (England & Wales) FCCA London, FCMA London, Fellow of the Governance Institute, London, ACMA and ACS (India). He received a number of academic awards. He joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1987 (ranked 2nd All India) and was awarded the Gold Medal for the Best IAS Probationer of his batch. He is currently Finance Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, Government of India. He was previously Joint Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs (2010-11), and Joint Secretary/ Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister from 2015 to 2017. He has earlier worked in a variety of senior positions in the Government of Tamil Nadu state, including Deputy Secretary (Budget), Joint Vigilance Commissioner, Executive Director Metrowater, Secretary to Chief Minister, and Additional Chief Secretary & Commissioner of Commercial Taxes. As founder MD of CMRL, he was responsible for achieving financial closure and awarding the initial tenders for implementing the Rs.14,600 crore Chennai Metro Rail Project. In 1996 he joined the World Bank, Washington through the Young Professionals Program, as Financial Economist in the East Asia & Pacific Regional Vice Presidency. In 2000, he became one of the Bank’s youngest Sector Managers when he was appointed Manager of the Budget Policy Group. In 2011 his services were sought by the World Bank and he served as Director from 2011 to 2015.
